Is e-learning for me? Experiences of an intern program in a Centre for Educational Technology

IS E-LEARNING FOR ME? EXPERIENCES OF AN INTERN PROGRAM IN A CENTRE FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGYCheryl Brown & Kathy Lewis

University of Cape Town

Our colleagues

E-learning as a profession in SA Lack of •Skills

•Diversity•Interest

Aim of program

Grow Capacity

Amongst previously disadvantaged South Africans and Africans

Build the next generation of e-learning professionals

Challenges Net generation in the workplace Internships and learning process Organisational culture E - learning versus e - working

Net generation in the workplace

Characteristics civic minded with a strong sense of local and

global community. prefer to experience the world at first hand

rather than being told what to like or do. function at speed distinctive sense of entitlement and

narcissistic attitude want a lot of reinforcing feedback and, in a

world of the “instant celebrity”, expect to be admired.

Net generation in South Africa

Characteristics still a work in progress - socio-economic

conditions produce graduates with very different life experiences and exposure to technology

skills shortage enables graduates to negotiate the terms of their employment more than any previous generation

black graduates see themselves as more mobile than white graduates.

While graduates believe they are entrepreneurial, they rate themselves low on having a “free agent disposition”

Organisational culture high performance

organisation people who are

“self-authoring” and use their jobs to take ownership of and create their own work, at whatever level.

Organisational culture requires people to be

self-starters, capable of working independently, able to learn autonomously and figure things out for themselves

Deep-ending” is a norm in this kind of culture

Internships and learning process Apprentice-style

internship Managing learning

and managing performance are inter-related

Independence and creative self-reliance are intrinsic and necessary to culture

Internships as learning process

Experimented with various approaches to reflection public blogs individual journal

writing Wiki performance

management system

E-learning versus E-working

Work challenges adapting to the nature of a workplace working in a team being part of a group what is entailed in having a job responsibility interacting with people working collaboratively managing work pressure:

Outcomes# Age Race After internship

A  34 F B Permanent position as teacher applying Ed Tech

B 24 F I Permanent position in CETC 24 F C Contract position at UCT in related field D 24 M C Contract position at UCT in related fieldE 26 F B New internship in different fieldF 23 F C Perusing work in different fieldG 21 M W Permanent position IT business sector. H 25 F C Left to complete studiesI 23 M B Left to travel J 27 F C Permanent position in CET

Benefits real, live projects training and travel build personal profiles motivate for new activities and infrastructure and

be responsible for their implementation form external connections across the globe that

have remained valuable. hone teaching skills by running workshops ability to understand technical issues CET culture personal “edge”

Lessons learnt a better understanding of interns learning styles formal sharing of aspects of learning facilitation

and supervision external management coaching to work with

interns individually and collectively training in mentoring submission of reports or case studies - another

strategy for reflection informal learning “events”

New Approach “Developing e-learning professionals

in African higher education”

Thank you